Wednesday, April 05, 2006



Are you building your company reputation on "the rock," or on "the sand"? The birth of new agencies and new resources has been lifeblood for our industry Forbes 2000 on the world's largest, and most powerful, public companies The Companies That Rule the Roost

Eye on Politics & Law Lords: 'World' keeps on turning: Plea for tax crackdown
Most big foreign insurers marketing products in Australia such as Allianz, Zurich, American International Group and ACE, are authorised by APRA to operate in Australia and pay local taxes.

TWO of the country's largest insurers, QBE and Promina, have called on the Federal Government to overhaul tax rules applying to offshore rivals, claiming that some are not paying GST and a swathe of state duties.
The Insurance Access and Pricing Unit of Federal Treasury is reviewing the regulatory arrangements applying to offshore foreign insurers that are not supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.


• We seek consistent collection of taxes from both local insurers and DOFIs wishing to write Australian risks National Insurance Brokers Association [What does not kill you makes you stronger: The new dark ages that are already upon us Insurance company merger woes finds IT solution ; It's a harsh reality that more industry sectors are more and more competitive, more brutal, in the battle for market share and brand equity Asteron appoints head of dealerships; My Finnish spies inform me that Caltex has lifted the lid on one of the worst kept secrets in Sydney - Promina is moving from 2 Market Street to 237 Kent Street ... Caltex, which was tipped to move into stage two of Multiplex's King Street Wharf development last year, before the space was occupied by American Express, is now rumoured to be moving to space at the Allianz centre at 2 Market Street, being vacated by Promina. Macquarie Office Trust and Allianz Australia co-own the building. Promina, I hear, has been sniffing around; and the Macquarie crew. They say a split of New Zealand and Australian operations has been contemplated for some time. This would be much to Sir Ronald's (Brierley of GPG: 20 per cent and long-suffering) liking There, but for the grace of ...]
• · People preparing for retirement have various tax-effective options to increase their super nest egg Strategy key in bridging super gap; Get the tax man off your back Super funds are the only way to go, advises Daryl Dixon How to put the tax demon well and truly to rest ; Dubner and Levitt on why Americans should be clamoring for the I.R.S. to do more audits Not fewer: Filling in the Tax Gap
• · · Mr Wilkins took home $2.76 million last year after his a base salary of $1.05 million was boosted by $1.21 million in cash bonuses, along with $455,332 in share-based payments Promina looks for growth by expansion ; The agencies that will succeed are the ones not frozen in the era of 30-second television commercials and can find the new ways to engage and connect with consumers Promina adds half a million customers
• · · · Asteron dealer group GuardianFP posted a 5.2 per cent increase in adviser numbers on December 31 last year over June 2005, and a 19.7 per cent for the 12 months from December 31, 2004. Promina profit jumps to $505m ; Tyndall, Asteron boost Promina result
• · · · · China vs India: the match of the century The epic 21st-century contest between the Chinese dragon and the Indian tiger is at the level of ideas as well as economies ; Are people victims of the media they watch or crafty exploiters of it? Grand Theft Auto
• · · · · · An article on how to be a lobbyist without trying A personal journey into Washington's culture of greed ; Separating the winners from the losers is harder than one might think: It was no joke, in those days, to pledge your life, your fortune, and your sacred honor to either the revolutionary or the counter-revolutionary cause. Yet without this suffering, America would never have been born Wins, Losses, and Libertarian Ideas ; The price of democracy in Australia is about to rise, becoming out of reach for many Australians The price of democracy; Federal Parliament is to debate a law this week that conjures up modern-day images of Big Brother. Someone else might be listening; Neville Wran: Democracy not ours to export